Learn More About Fayette County

The first recorded visit to the Fayette area was by the explorer Hernando DeSoto and his band in the year 1540. He traversed the Sipsey River, Coal Fire Creek, Bear Creek, Buttahatchee, and Luxapalilla Creek as he passed through during his search for gold and treasures. From that time it would be over 250 years before the northwest Alabama area would be visited by settlers.

Although there were a handful of settlers and traders in the Mississippi (Alabama was not yet a separate territory) area in the early 1800’s it was not until after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814 that the area opened up to a large number of immigrants. The small town that grew up in what became northwest Alabama was first known as Lafayette in honor of the French Revolutionary War hero. This was situated at present day Old Town, what is now known as Five Points. Lafayette was the first of several names the small town was known by as it gradually grew and moved with the business center. On January 15, 1821, the town was incorporated as Fayette Court House. The first name change was due to their being several other towns in Alabama with the name Lafayette.